The idea reminded me that often I spend all of my time before class determining “essential” questions and then trying to guide students through classroom discussions. Regardless of whether or not students have engaged in the text or done the reading, these questions are still “my” questions.

Using Twitter or even Today’s Meet, similarly styled around 140 characters, as a means towards having everyone participate is an important first step. However, this is still a world in which we “make” the questions.

So here’s the alternative. After you’ve familiarized students with Twitter and even used it as a means of backchanneling during discussions or Socratic seminars give students a list of question types you want them to formulate. As they read, make them responsible for creating questions via twitter. Read more